Cherubim1324
08-27-2006, 12:49 AM
Can the Mac Counter Windows Vista? (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=620&e=12&u=/nf/20060825/bs_nf/45705)
Elizabeth Millard, newsfactor.com (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/nf/bs_nf/byline/45705/20078439/SIG=10r33ca9a/*http://www.newsfactor.com)
Fri Aug 25, 7:45 PM ET
Forget the browser wars of the past: the real tech battle is about to begin. Ready for the operating system catfight?
With the announcement of its upcoming Leopard operating system, Apple Computer Inc. means to present a direct challenge to industry behemoth Microsoft. And it's likely that within the next year, both consumers and businesses will have to decide between Redmond's massive OS overhaul or the latest kitty out of Cupertino.
Before Apple's recent announcement that it would be releasing OS X 10.5, called Leopard, it appeared that Apple would be drawing mainly on its streamlined OS interface to try and best Microsoft, along with emphasis on its switch to Intel. But the recent news that it would be building robust features into Leopard puts the fresh system directly in competition with Vista, changing the rules of engagement.
Cat's Meow
As Microsoft began its campaign to ease users into thinking about Vista, it seemed that Apple's only answer would be to point out that it now runs on Intel chip, and emphasize the ability to toggle between Windows and Mac systems thanks to new software.
Some speculated that Apple's new application, Boot Camp, could be enough to draw at least a small percentage of users away from Windows.
In some ways, that may still be the case. Considered a boon for Mac users, and a compelling option for those who've been intrigued by Macs but don't want to fully commit, Boot Camp is an alluring application. It allows users to install and run Windows XP on a Mac, as well as toggle between the two simply by restarting and holding down the option key, the application is already available in a public beta.
"Boot Camp will win over a small percentage of customers that won't migrate to Apple's OS because of applications that don't run on Apple," says Samir Bhavnani, director of research at Current Analysis. "The company has been good about getting to the point where they say to users, 'you don't have to switch completely. We understand about you need to run Windows sometimes. But we'll also allow you to have an Apple experience.'"
In creating Boot Camp, Apple has actually become more adept at marketing Windows functions than Microsoft, Bhavnani believes.
But beyond Boot Camp, it turns out, Apple intends to intensify its chances of winning Windows users, and wasn't about to rest on the laurels of Boot Camp. With the new OS X 10.5 version, planned for shipping in spring 2007, users will be able to tap into new backup and recovery technology, introduce virtual desktops, and have more powerful iChat functions.
The Leopard Mail software has a number of new features, according to the company, including templates, better manageability, and a synching function with iCal, RSS news feeds, and better smart mailboxes.
"Apple has incremental approaches to operating system development," says Ted Schadler, analyst at Forrester Research. "It allows them to add features quickly, with a strong degree of compatibility."
Marketing Push
Another potential advantage for Apple has nothing to do with Leopard's features, and actually doesn't depend on anything the company can do internally with development: it's the ability of Microsoft to release Vista on time and address potential bugs in its beta versions.
In other words, Apple seems to be fighting Redmond on two fronts, countering Microsoft with its OS features as well as slamming the company through marketing efforts and general commentary.
Apple is already on the attack when it comes to Microsoft's security issues and alleged interoperability problems with third-party devices, highlighting both challenges through a series of ads that present Windows and OS X as people. Not surprisingly, the "Apple guy" has fewer viruses, speaks Japanese, and is generally more likeable than his uptight, sniffling colleague.
But as Vista's release nears, Apple is stepping up the rivalry, despite the fact that Microsoft and Apple have actually shown more cooperation in the past few years.
At the company's recent Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that since Windows XP was launched in 2001, Apple has released five major updates to OS X. In a particularly sharp swipe, Jobs said that "our friends" in Redmond had spent over $5 billion in research and development, but have ended up just copying Google and Apple. "So I guess it's a good example of how money isn't everything," he said.
Jobs also noted that some of the features of Leopard would be kept under wraps, not just because Apple is notoriously secretive with its upcoming releases, but because the company didn't want Microsoft to "start their photocopiers."
The comments were meant to be provocative, and draw a reaction, and Jobs certainly got his wish. Since the conference, his comments have been well-covered as an opening salvo against Vista (until, at least, the speech got bumped by news that Apple had fired some retail employees for downloading Leopard without authorization).
"The keynote wasn't very sexy in terms of announcements," says Schadler. "But it didn't have to be, since Jobs was so focused on Vista. In many ways, Apple doesn't have to respond to Vista's specific functionality, since Apple is already ahead of it."
As Vista goes forward in beta, it's very possible that Apple will be closely watching how buggy the initial OS experiments are, even though betas are often used to ferret out errors. Following the June release of Vista Beta 2, for example, testers started grumbling about bugs and blue screens, and quickly suggested that a third beta cycle be created, although one hasn't been scheduled.
Microsoft has already planned to ship Release Candidate 1, scheduled for the end of September, and has noted that corporate customers could see a release of Vista as early as November. But if bugs are as present as the testers say, it would not only be tough for Microsoft to keep to its schedule, but could give Leopard an advantage if it ships without much incident.
Window on the World
Although Leopard might present a challenge to Microsoft -- and likely inspire some zesty new Mac v. Windows ads -- some analysts note that it won't exactly become an Apple-driven world anytime soon.
Windows still commands a sizeable chunk of the OS market, with most estimates putting it around 95 percent. Since it's used in so much of the corporate world, it's not likely that IT departments will skip Vista and turn instead to replacing desktops and servers with Apple's lineup. Where companies go, consumers do tend to follow, since many people find it useful to have the same type of system at home as they do at the office, making for easy file transfers and telecommuting.
In other words, most of the world will still buy Windows, no matter what bugs the first version of Vista might have, and although there could be some converts, it's still more cult than religion.
Part of the reason that the corporate world won't make a widespread shift, analysts note, is because Windows still excels at providing business-ready applications. Apple has made some inroads in the area, but Windows has been consistently ahead in understanding the needs of Joe Cubicle.
"The thing that's so unbelievably impressive about Microsoft is its understanding of how applications get built and deployed," says Schadler. "It's always been part of the company. With Apple, you have applications that are great with basics like Web browsing and photo manipulation, but you don't have the sophisticated business applications geared toward Windows."
Some might counter with the fact that Boot Camp will make that issue irrelevant, but others believe that the limitations with running Windows on a Mac -- most notably, in having to buy a full Windows license -- will create limitations. Also, to go between apps, a user has to shut down the computer and reboot, which is not exactly a task that users crave to do more often.
"A virtualization solution like Parallels or VMWare, though it would cost a bit more for the virtualization stack, is a better solution because Windows and Mac OS apps can be run simultaneously," says Michael Silver, an analyst at Gartner. "Of course, any time you run Windows, you need to worry about antivirus, spyware, etc., no matter whose hardware you run on."
In general, Silver adds, corporate users are focused mainly on applications, and that means Windows. "Since most companies have hundreds, if not thousands, of Windows applications, the migration costs are high and switching is difficult," he says. "A new version of Mac OS in the Vista time frame probably would not make much of a difference."
But just because it won't become standard equipment in the corporate world in the near future doesn't mean that Apple can't increase its popularity -- after all, to belabor the analogy, some groups once called cults really did become full-blown religions.
Battle Ground
How the skirmish between the operating systems continues is likely to depend somewhat on timing, analysts have predicted.
If Vista continues to be delayed, and can't meet its January target, it could greatly benefit Leopard, especially if Apple is able to get the OS shipping earlier than expected.
Apple is already gearing up for a major marketing campaign for the holidays, and if they're able to ramp up demand, and then deliver the system when they say it will be delivered, it could trump Microsoft in a way that Jobs would crow about for years.
Users should also be prepared to hear more and more about "Time Machine," which a recent Macworld poll found was the most anticipated feature of the new OS. Time Machine allows users to automatically back up all of a system's files at any point in time to an external hard drive.
Although the ability to back up files is possible with Macs now, especially for those who pay for Apple's .mac accounts and can have their documents put on a Web server, the backup procedure isn't exactly at the point of being called automatic. With Time Machine, if a drive is attached, the system will immediately ask if a back up is needed, and transfer the files.
Coming in second in the poll was "Spaces," a way to simultaneously display and switch between applications, making a desktop look something like an actual, real-world desktop that has multiple file folders and documents open.
Also worth watching is how fully Apple can relate its staggeringly successful iPod and iTunes lines to Leopard. If the company can win Microsoft users who are already using iTunes, it may have a stronger foothold, notes Bhavnani.
"They want to get more people involved in the Apple experience, and wondering what other Apple applications are like," he says. "In many ways, Vista is huge improvement in terms of ease of use, and Apple will naturally have to counter that with whatever it can."
Elizabeth Millard, newsfactor.com (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/nf/bs_nf/byline/45705/20078439/SIG=10r33ca9a/*http://www.newsfactor.com)
Fri Aug 25, 7:45 PM ET
Forget the browser wars of the past: the real tech battle is about to begin. Ready for the operating system catfight?
With the announcement of its upcoming Leopard operating system, Apple Computer Inc. means to present a direct challenge to industry behemoth Microsoft. And it's likely that within the next year, both consumers and businesses will have to decide between Redmond's massive OS overhaul or the latest kitty out of Cupertino.
Before Apple's recent announcement that it would be releasing OS X 10.5, called Leopard, it appeared that Apple would be drawing mainly on its streamlined OS interface to try and best Microsoft, along with emphasis on its switch to Intel. But the recent news that it would be building robust features into Leopard puts the fresh system directly in competition with Vista, changing the rules of engagement.
Cat's Meow
As Microsoft began its campaign to ease users into thinking about Vista, it seemed that Apple's only answer would be to point out that it now runs on Intel chip, and emphasize the ability to toggle between Windows and Mac systems thanks to new software.
Some speculated that Apple's new application, Boot Camp, could be enough to draw at least a small percentage of users away from Windows.
In some ways, that may still be the case. Considered a boon for Mac users, and a compelling option for those who've been intrigued by Macs but don't want to fully commit, Boot Camp is an alluring application. It allows users to install and run Windows XP on a Mac, as well as toggle between the two simply by restarting and holding down the option key, the application is already available in a public beta.
"Boot Camp will win over a small percentage of customers that won't migrate to Apple's OS because of applications that don't run on Apple," says Samir Bhavnani, director of research at Current Analysis. "The company has been good about getting to the point where they say to users, 'you don't have to switch completely. We understand about you need to run Windows sometimes. But we'll also allow you to have an Apple experience.'"
In creating Boot Camp, Apple has actually become more adept at marketing Windows functions than Microsoft, Bhavnani believes.
But beyond Boot Camp, it turns out, Apple intends to intensify its chances of winning Windows users, and wasn't about to rest on the laurels of Boot Camp. With the new OS X 10.5 version, planned for shipping in spring 2007, users will be able to tap into new backup and recovery technology, introduce virtual desktops, and have more powerful iChat functions.
The Leopard Mail software has a number of new features, according to the company, including templates, better manageability, and a synching function with iCal, RSS news feeds, and better smart mailboxes.
"Apple has incremental approaches to operating system development," says Ted Schadler, analyst at Forrester Research. "It allows them to add features quickly, with a strong degree of compatibility."
Marketing Push
Another potential advantage for Apple has nothing to do with Leopard's features, and actually doesn't depend on anything the company can do internally with development: it's the ability of Microsoft to release Vista on time and address potential bugs in its beta versions.
In other words, Apple seems to be fighting Redmond on two fronts, countering Microsoft with its OS features as well as slamming the company through marketing efforts and general commentary.
Apple is already on the attack when it comes to Microsoft's security issues and alleged interoperability problems with third-party devices, highlighting both challenges through a series of ads that present Windows and OS X as people. Not surprisingly, the "Apple guy" has fewer viruses, speaks Japanese, and is generally more likeable than his uptight, sniffling colleague.
But as Vista's release nears, Apple is stepping up the rivalry, despite the fact that Microsoft and Apple have actually shown more cooperation in the past few years.
At the company's recent Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that since Windows XP was launched in 2001, Apple has released five major updates to OS X. In a particularly sharp swipe, Jobs said that "our friends" in Redmond had spent over $5 billion in research and development, but have ended up just copying Google and Apple. "So I guess it's a good example of how money isn't everything," he said.
Jobs also noted that some of the features of Leopard would be kept under wraps, not just because Apple is notoriously secretive with its upcoming releases, but because the company didn't want Microsoft to "start their photocopiers."
The comments were meant to be provocative, and draw a reaction, and Jobs certainly got his wish. Since the conference, his comments have been well-covered as an opening salvo against Vista (until, at least, the speech got bumped by news that Apple had fired some retail employees for downloading Leopard without authorization).
"The keynote wasn't very sexy in terms of announcements," says Schadler. "But it didn't have to be, since Jobs was so focused on Vista. In many ways, Apple doesn't have to respond to Vista's specific functionality, since Apple is already ahead of it."
As Vista goes forward in beta, it's very possible that Apple will be closely watching how buggy the initial OS experiments are, even though betas are often used to ferret out errors. Following the June release of Vista Beta 2, for example, testers started grumbling about bugs and blue screens, and quickly suggested that a third beta cycle be created, although one hasn't been scheduled.
Microsoft has already planned to ship Release Candidate 1, scheduled for the end of September, and has noted that corporate customers could see a release of Vista as early as November. But if bugs are as present as the testers say, it would not only be tough for Microsoft to keep to its schedule, but could give Leopard an advantage if it ships without much incident.
Window on the World
Although Leopard might present a challenge to Microsoft -- and likely inspire some zesty new Mac v. Windows ads -- some analysts note that it won't exactly become an Apple-driven world anytime soon.
Windows still commands a sizeable chunk of the OS market, with most estimates putting it around 95 percent. Since it's used in so much of the corporate world, it's not likely that IT departments will skip Vista and turn instead to replacing desktops and servers with Apple's lineup. Where companies go, consumers do tend to follow, since many people find it useful to have the same type of system at home as they do at the office, making for easy file transfers and telecommuting.
In other words, most of the world will still buy Windows, no matter what bugs the first version of Vista might have, and although there could be some converts, it's still more cult than religion.
Part of the reason that the corporate world won't make a widespread shift, analysts note, is because Windows still excels at providing business-ready applications. Apple has made some inroads in the area, but Windows has been consistently ahead in understanding the needs of Joe Cubicle.
"The thing that's so unbelievably impressive about Microsoft is its understanding of how applications get built and deployed," says Schadler. "It's always been part of the company. With Apple, you have applications that are great with basics like Web browsing and photo manipulation, but you don't have the sophisticated business applications geared toward Windows."
Some might counter with the fact that Boot Camp will make that issue irrelevant, but others believe that the limitations with running Windows on a Mac -- most notably, in having to buy a full Windows license -- will create limitations. Also, to go between apps, a user has to shut down the computer and reboot, which is not exactly a task that users crave to do more often.
"A virtualization solution like Parallels or VMWare, though it would cost a bit more for the virtualization stack, is a better solution because Windows and Mac OS apps can be run simultaneously," says Michael Silver, an analyst at Gartner. "Of course, any time you run Windows, you need to worry about antivirus, spyware, etc., no matter whose hardware you run on."
In general, Silver adds, corporate users are focused mainly on applications, and that means Windows. "Since most companies have hundreds, if not thousands, of Windows applications, the migration costs are high and switching is difficult," he says. "A new version of Mac OS in the Vista time frame probably would not make much of a difference."
But just because it won't become standard equipment in the corporate world in the near future doesn't mean that Apple can't increase its popularity -- after all, to belabor the analogy, some groups once called cults really did become full-blown religions.
Battle Ground
How the skirmish between the operating systems continues is likely to depend somewhat on timing, analysts have predicted.
If Vista continues to be delayed, and can't meet its January target, it could greatly benefit Leopard, especially if Apple is able to get the OS shipping earlier than expected.
Apple is already gearing up for a major marketing campaign for the holidays, and if they're able to ramp up demand, and then deliver the system when they say it will be delivered, it could trump Microsoft in a way that Jobs would crow about for years.
Users should also be prepared to hear more and more about "Time Machine," which a recent Macworld poll found was the most anticipated feature of the new OS. Time Machine allows users to automatically back up all of a system's files at any point in time to an external hard drive.
Although the ability to back up files is possible with Macs now, especially for those who pay for Apple's .mac accounts and can have their documents put on a Web server, the backup procedure isn't exactly at the point of being called automatic. With Time Machine, if a drive is attached, the system will immediately ask if a back up is needed, and transfer the files.
Coming in second in the poll was "Spaces," a way to simultaneously display and switch between applications, making a desktop look something like an actual, real-world desktop that has multiple file folders and documents open.
Also worth watching is how fully Apple can relate its staggeringly successful iPod and iTunes lines to Leopard. If the company can win Microsoft users who are already using iTunes, it may have a stronger foothold, notes Bhavnani.
"They want to get more people involved in the Apple experience, and wondering what other Apple applications are like," he says. "In many ways, Vista is huge improvement in terms of ease of use, and Apple will naturally have to counter that with whatever it can."